ICW Group Insurance Companies Responds to Fraudulent, Illegal Postings

Oct. 5, 2009 - PRLog -- SAN DIEGO, Calif. —ICW Group Insurance Companies has announced that it intends to pursue full legal remedies against anyone involved in the posting of libelous statements and misinformation.  The announcement comes in the wake of a series of recent libelous social media postings by a person or persons posing as a company executive.  ICW General Counsel Mary Cannon believes the postings in question meet the legal definition of libel and could violate multiple laws governing Internet crime.  The activity may be of interest to the FBI’s IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center), which reviews and evaluates online Internet crime complaints and refers criminal complaints to the appropriate federal, state, local or international law enforcement agency.  

“We take these fraudulent attacks against our company very seriously,” said Cannon, ICW vice president and general council. “While the activity may seem like a prank to the perpetrator, it is, in fact, criminal and could be punishable by severe penalties in a court of law.”

The postings in question exaggerate the extent of a modest reduction in the company’s workforce and make erroneous statements about the company’s financial performance and strategy.   In at least one case, the poster assumed the identity of an ICW Group executive, and in another, altered an official ICW Group release.  ICW Group’s accurate announcement about the reduction in force can be found at www.icwgroup.com.

Anyone with information about the identity of the fraudulent poster should contact Cannon at (858) 350-2678 or mcannon@icwgroup.com.  

About ICW Group
Privately held ICW Group is a Super Regional carrier representing a group of multi-line property and casualty insurance companies providing workers’ compensation, surety, earthquake and personal and business auto insurance.  Its member companies consist of Insurance Company of the West, Explorer Insurance Company and Independence Casualty and Surety.  Based in San Diego, ICW Group continues to transform itself into an insurance industry leader dedicated to meeting the needs of its Agents and Brokers and the people and companies they insure.  More information is available at www.icwgroup.com.

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